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Harken #1
Harken
Michael Asher is a prodigy for hire, born with the unexplainable ability to read someone’s thoughts through their eyes. Truth-seekers venture from all over the world to his small California hometown, desperate to know the truth about spouses and business partners, willing to pay the highest price for his gift.
But the same whispers that made Michael an underground celebrity reach someone who has been hunting for him. What should have been just another work night sends Michael running for his life from a madman assassin—a killer who isn't human—and a global secret society who wants him dead.
But the same whispers that made Michael an underground celebrity reach someone who has been hunting for him. What should have been just another work night sends Michael running for his life from a madman assassin—a killer who isn't human—and a global secret society who wants him dead.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2013
50 people are currently reading
3033 people want to read
About the author
Kaleb Nation
8 books734 followersKALEB NATION is a producer and Internet personality. With the help of an online army known as the Nationeers, his writing and videos have been seen over 50 million times. A black belt in taekwondo, Kaleb lives in California with a cantankerous chinchilla named Chilla.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
January 16, 2013
SEQUEL!!! I NEED SEQUEL!! Kaleb... you are a genius!! That ending... wow!! I don't even have time to process the thoughts and words I just read.
At first, I didn't really know what to expect reading this only that its a Conspiracy / Supernatural story about a teenage boy named Michael who survived an assassination attempt. I don't know about you but, that sounds freaking awesome what?! So I'm just on my Kindle and reading Harken and I went about 20-30 pages in and I was hooked immediately.
We start off introduced to Michael who has a gift of reading people's eyes meaning he can see their emotions and he's at the center of a worldwide conspiracy theory. He's one of those characters that the readers love but at some point also hate because he can be an idiot at some points. As the story went on, I grew to love him even more. He takes risks for the people he cares about and that is, to me, what makes a strong main character because I don't like witty protagonists and Harken is an action story. We need bad ass main and supporting characters to fulfill the plot and Mr. Kaleb Nation did that.
This book involves a lot of action. It is definitely a fast read for me because most of the time I would just be like "Wait...WHAT?! How...But...HUH?!" and I would just keep reading 'till the end just to see how it answers all of my questions and when I saw
THE END OF BOOK ONE
Half of me was like "OMG WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! I NEED THE SEQUEL!! ARC! GIVE ME ARC! And the other half ... left me in tears. I was more confused, it answered some of my questions and then left EVEN MORE questions.
On with the supporting characters. Callista and Thad are the Chosens and they help Michael throughout the whole novel. Callista is an interesting character which I have ups and downs with. Sometimes she starts blaming Michael for things and that kinda gets very annoying even when Michael couldn't do anything about it. Still, she's a very strong character and I will grow more to like her. I adore Thad. He's loyal and he doesn't let his past bother him which is good for him, he's self-sacrificing which is amazing.
Most YA novels, there are romance. In Harken, I wouldn't say there isn't any but there's a hint of a romance between Michael and Callista, but it doesn't really interfere with the whole plot.
The chemistry isn't the main focus of the whole book but it was nice to see the relationship. It was nice and light and I'm definitely excited to see where it goes.
When I got to the end, my heart just dropped and my brain just shut off. It left me wanting more. I just loved the ending. There is a cliff-hanger but it was a nice cliff-hanger and if you know me or read my reviews, I HATE CLIFF-HANGERS. I get so worked up about them because they are torture. It felt as if it left you hanging to continue the series and to realize that it's the end of the book and you should really read the next book to find out what happens.
Overall, this action packed, thriller, and a touch of romance will keep you hanging 'till the very end. Pick it up on Amazon right now!! GO DO IT!! ITS AMAZING!! Don't be an apple. Go read it!!
*Side note: I freaking love the cover. It's so mysterious and just the name HARKEN*
Find more of my reviews on YA Book Reviews
At first, I didn't really know what to expect reading this only that its a Conspiracy / Supernatural story about a teenage boy named Michael who survived an assassination attempt. I don't know about you but, that sounds freaking awesome what?! So I'm just on my Kindle and reading Harken and I went about 20-30 pages in and I was hooked immediately.
We start off introduced to Michael who has a gift of reading people's eyes meaning he can see their emotions and he's at the center of a worldwide conspiracy theory. He's one of those characters that the readers love but at some point also hate because he can be an idiot at some points. As the story went on, I grew to love him even more. He takes risks for the people he cares about and that is, to me, what makes a strong main character because I don't like witty protagonists and Harken is an action story. We need bad ass main and supporting characters to fulfill the plot and Mr. Kaleb Nation did that.
This book involves a lot of action. It is definitely a fast read for me because most of the time I would just be like "Wait...WHAT?! How...But...HUH?!" and I would just keep reading 'till the end just to see how it answers all of my questions and when I saw
THE END OF BOOK ONE
Half of me was like "OMG WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?! I NEED THE SEQUEL!! ARC! GIVE ME ARC! And the other half ... left me in tears. I was more confused, it answered some of my questions and then left EVEN MORE questions.
On with the supporting characters. Callista and Thad are the Chosens and they help Michael throughout the whole novel. Callista is an interesting character which I have ups and downs with. Sometimes she starts blaming Michael for things and that kinda gets very annoying even when Michael couldn't do anything about it. Still, she's a very strong character and I will grow more to like her. I adore Thad. He's loyal and he doesn't let his past bother him which is good for him, he's self-sacrificing which is amazing.
Most YA novels, there are romance. In Harken, I wouldn't say there isn't any but there's a hint of a romance between Michael and Callista, but it doesn't really interfere with the whole plot.
The chemistry isn't the main focus of the whole book but it was nice to see the relationship. It was nice and light and I'm definitely excited to see where it goes.
When I got to the end, my heart just dropped and my brain just shut off. It left me wanting more. I just loved the ending. There is a cliff-hanger but it was a nice cliff-hanger and if you know me or read my reviews, I HATE CLIFF-HANGERS. I get so worked up about them because they are torture. It felt as if it left you hanging to continue the series and to realize that it's the end of the book and you should really read the next book to find out what happens.
Overall, this action packed, thriller, and a touch of romance will keep you hanging 'till the very end. Pick it up on Amazon right now!! GO DO IT!! ITS AMAZING!! Don't be an apple. Go read it!!
*Side note: I freaking love the cover. It's so mysterious and just the name HARKEN*
Find more of my reviews on YA Book Reviews
July 2, 2013
[Originally posted on elizziebooks.com]
There was SO much hype surrounding this book that I just really felt like shying away from this book and really felt very critical of it while reading. As soon as I put all of those things aside, reading this book was a BLAST!
Now, if you’re looking for a quirky middle grade book about a wizard, this isn’t your book. If you’re looking for a Sci-Fi/Conspiracy/Supernatural story about a kid who once thought he just had an uncanny gift of reading people’s eyes, this just might be your book.
Seriously, this book caught me by the back of my neck and flung me into the sky without even a second thought. I was thrown into Arleta, into Michael’s world. Kaleb has a way of describing the surroundings of a somewhat fictional place to make you feel like you’re following Michael around his hometown, his safe haven. Okay, I know Arleta is a real town, but it’s described very well.
Another thing I love about the writing in this book is the pacing. It’s so carefully planned. It’s fairly quick throughout, but slows down a bit for conversations about planning their next move. There were times when I was reading and thought “WHOA WAIT WHAT JUST HAPPENED” because I may have accidentally skimmed over something very important.
The characters are amazing and well fleshed out. I love love loved Alli and even when she wasn’t in a scene, I was hoping and begging that she’d stay alive. Michael is a great protagonist. He’s a kid who doesn’t necessarily have everything figured out, so when he gets thrust into a hero-like position, he’s still fumbling. He’s still human.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The action, pacing, the great one-liners and so on. I will definitely be following Michael and his friends on more adventures!
http://www.elizziebooks.com/2013/01/0...
There was SO much hype surrounding this book that I just really felt like shying away from this book and really felt very critical of it while reading. As soon as I put all of those things aside, reading this book was a BLAST!
Now, if you’re looking for a quirky middle grade book about a wizard, this isn’t your book. If you’re looking for a Sci-Fi/Conspiracy/Supernatural story about a kid who once thought he just had an uncanny gift of reading people’s eyes, this just might be your book.
Seriously, this book caught me by the back of my neck and flung me into the sky without even a second thought. I was thrown into Arleta, into Michael’s world. Kaleb has a way of describing the surroundings of a somewhat fictional place to make you feel like you’re following Michael around his hometown, his safe haven. Okay, I know Arleta is a real town, but it’s described very well.
Another thing I love about the writing in this book is the pacing. It’s so carefully planned. It’s fairly quick throughout, but slows down a bit for conversations about planning their next move. There were times when I was reading and thought “WHOA WAIT WHAT JUST HAPPENED” because I may have accidentally skimmed over something very important.
The characters are amazing and well fleshed out. I love love loved Alli and even when she wasn’t in a scene, I was hoping and begging that she’d stay alive. Michael is a great protagonist. He’s a kid who doesn’t necessarily have everything figured out, so when he gets thrust into a hero-like position, he’s still fumbling. He’s still human.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The action, pacing, the great one-liners and so on. I will definitely be following Michael and his friends on more adventures!
http://www.elizziebooks.com/2013/01/0...
March 4, 2013
%40 of the book is acknowledgements? Well, then good. Because I'm tired of reading this book! The writing is pretty awful. Not the worst ever, but definitely not good. It seemed pretty forced, like he was trying too hard to have good and moving writing. Or rather, not trying hard enough. It could use a LOT of editing, a lot of refinement. There are way too many similes that don't quite make sense or accurately describe what's going on, or are completely unnecessary. The point of similes is to make something foreign seem more relatable, and most of the similes were about completely banal things. The word choice was also frequently odd, and spelling errors or even missing words like 'to' or 'of' were sprinkled throughout the book.
The main character is completely unlikeable, and is pretty much an idiot. I mean, I like flawed characters, but this guy was just not an enjoyable protagonist. I knew within the first chapter that I wasn't going to like the book, but I don't like to quit and I wanted to give the book more of a chance than that. I hadn't read any Kaleb Nation books before, but now I'm pretty wary to read his previous work.
I thought the Glimpse thing was interesting, but it could have been more important to the book. It mostly just revealed things that anyone would be able to tell by paying close attention. It's human nature to be able to read emotion. And his Glimpse skill rarely actually affected the plot and didn't seem necessary - but it was the only interesting thing about Michael.
The main character is completely unlikeable, and is pretty much an idiot. I mean, I like flawed characters, but this guy was just not an enjoyable protagonist. I knew within the first chapter that I wasn't going to like the book, but I don't like to quit and I wanted to give the book more of a chance than that. I hadn't read any Kaleb Nation books before, but now I'm pretty wary to read his previous work.
I thought the Glimpse thing was interesting, but it could have been more important to the book. It mostly just revealed things that anyone would be able to tell by paying close attention. It's human nature to be able to read emotion. And his Glimpse skill rarely actually affected the plot and didn't seem necessary - but it was the only interesting thing about Michael.
January 9, 2013
*****FINAL RATING: 4.75 STARS*****
CATCHALL
I really, really loved this book. Like, I really, really did. I've been somewhat lucky in my reading lately, which is awesome, and this book cemented that streak for me. The characters were memorable and it used a fairly unique concept. It was unputdownable and held my attention amazingly well, which, while not exactly an accomplishment unique to this book, is still fantastic considering I have a book I started back in July still sitting half-read on my bookshelf. Some books suck at the attention-grabbing thing. Some books, like this one, rock at it.
THE HERO
MICHAEL
When we're first introduced to Michael, I wasn't entirely sure what to think of him. He's something of a risk taker, and while he clearly loves his family he still does what he wants. As the story went on, however, I grew to love him more. He doesn't mind risking his life for the people he cares about, and that's incredibly admirable. At the same time he isn't an idiot and he isn't overly impulsive. Michael keeps a clear head most of the time, but he also gets panicked at times, just like anyone else. He's also a photographer, like me, which is awesome.
THE CHOSENS
CALLISTA
Callista is an interesting character, and I'm not a huge fan of hers. I get that she's hurt inside and that she's grieving and I sympathize with her. Believe me, I do. At the same time, that is not a free ticket to be rude to everyone. Sometimes she just goes off and starts blaming Michael for things he had no control over. Again, I get wanting to place blame somewhere, but placing it wrongly isn't helpful. Still, she isn't wholly unlikable, and she's a very strong character, which I do like.
THAD
Thad might be my favorite character. I adore him. He's fiercely loyal, which is one of my favorite traits. He isn't bitter about the past or what's happened to him. He doesn't let it get to him. He doesn't have a problem devoting himself to Michael, and he's self-sacrificing but somehow isn't annoying about it. Which is amazing, right? Of course it is, because I just said it was.
THE PLOT
In the world of Harken, Guardians protect the earth. Or at least, that's what they're supposed to do. Something like that isn't a unique idea on its own. The way it is executed is what makes it truly memorable.
Michael's life isn't normal from the beginning. He can see people's emotions in their eyes, particularly when the eyes are those in a photograph. He's made a business out of this that causes him to leave his house one night. That's what leads him to meet Mr. Sharpe, and consequently sets off the events of this novel.
This plot involves a lot of action. It is definitely event-driven, which I really liked. One thing leads to another–no matter what choices Michael makes, it is going to cause something else down along the line. I was pleased by the clarity of that and the ease by which events and people connected.
Mostly, it was highly enjoyable. There was a lot of anticipation involved. I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. And the best thing? It wasn't irritatingly predictable. I loved being surprised. Just when I was sure I had everything figured out, something would come up and it would be turned upside-down completely. I was left guessing until the very end.
So, if I had to sum this up in one word, I'd use the word thrilling. It was deliciously intense and basically just marvelous, and I loved every moment of it.
THE ROMANCE
As much as romance happens to be one of my favorite things in the universe (which most of you know by now) one of my favorite things about this book was its lightness on it. I wouldn't go so far as to say there's none, but it isn't the main focus of the novel like about 99% of YA paranormal these days and I loved that. There's chemistry, but there're still so many roadblocks to any chances of that. It's complicated is probably the easiest if most cliché way to phrase this. I like it, and I'm definitely curious to see where it goes.
THE WRITING
I have mixed feelings here. The writing flows easily, and Michael has a distinct voice. It lets a lot of his personality come through, but occasionally it does fall flat. It's a little bit too simplistic, I think, and could use a bit of work as far as that goes. It's not horrible, not even bad, but it's not perfect. Mostly I would say that it needs more specificity to the word choice and more focus on the wording in some areas. But other than that, I really don't have any complaints. It's lovely, and has a very open and readable quality to it.
THE ENDING
Endings are tricky. Plus, I have a tendency to be overly critical about them. Happily, I was extremely satisfied with this ending. It left me wanting to know more, but at the same time it didn't feel like a cheap trick or a ridiculous cliffhanger. Don't get me wrong–there is a cliffhanger–but I thought is was nicely done. There was one point near the end where I think the book could have ended, and most authors probably would have ended it there to drag it out. But I liked that Harken didn't do that. It gave the sense of a complete book with more to come.
WRAPUP
If it isn't obvious to you by this point how much I loved this book, then…well. It should be obvious. It was an incredible story with action and just a touch of romance, and I adored the concept of Guardians. I will definitely be continuing this series. As to would I recommend this? Um, yes! I especially recommend this to all you lovely people whose guilty pleasures include bad action movies. I'm only half kidding. But in all seriousness, I absolutely recommend this. Harken was a gorgeous and modern read.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
CATCHALL
I really, really loved this book. Like, I really, really did. I've been somewhat lucky in my reading lately, which is awesome, and this book cemented that streak for me. The characters were memorable and it used a fairly unique concept. It was unputdownable and held my attention amazingly well, which, while not exactly an accomplishment unique to this book, is still fantastic considering I have a book I started back in July still sitting half-read on my bookshelf. Some books suck at the attention-grabbing thing. Some books, like this one, rock at it.
THE HERO
MICHAEL
When we're first introduced to Michael, I wasn't entirely sure what to think of him. He's something of a risk taker, and while he clearly loves his family he still does what he wants. As the story went on, however, I grew to love him more. He doesn't mind risking his life for the people he cares about, and that's incredibly admirable. At the same time he isn't an idiot and he isn't overly impulsive. Michael keeps a clear head most of the time, but he also gets panicked at times, just like anyone else. He's also a photographer, like me, which is awesome.
THE CHOSENS
CALLISTA
Callista is an interesting character, and I'm not a huge fan of hers. I get that she's hurt inside and that she's grieving and I sympathize with her. Believe me, I do. At the same time, that is not a free ticket to be rude to everyone. Sometimes she just goes off and starts blaming Michael for things he had no control over. Again, I get wanting to place blame somewhere, but placing it wrongly isn't helpful. Still, she isn't wholly unlikable, and she's a very strong character, which I do like.
THAD
Thad might be my favorite character. I adore him. He's fiercely loyal, which is one of my favorite traits. He isn't bitter about the past or what's happened to him. He doesn't let it get to him. He doesn't have a problem devoting himself to Michael, and he's self-sacrificing but somehow isn't annoying about it. Which is amazing, right? Of course it is, because I just said it was.
THE PLOT
In the world of Harken, Guardians protect the earth. Or at least, that's what they're supposed to do. Something like that isn't a unique idea on its own. The way it is executed is what makes it truly memorable.
Michael's life isn't normal from the beginning. He can see people's emotions in their eyes, particularly when the eyes are those in a photograph. He's made a business out of this that causes him to leave his house one night. That's what leads him to meet Mr. Sharpe, and consequently sets off the events of this novel.
This plot involves a lot of action. It is definitely event-driven, which I really liked. One thing leads to another–no matter what choices Michael makes, it is going to cause something else down along the line. I was pleased by the clarity of that and the ease by which events and people connected.
Mostly, it was highly enjoyable. There was a lot of anticipation involved. I constantly wanted to know what was going to happen next. And the best thing? It wasn't irritatingly predictable. I loved being surprised. Just when I was sure I had everything figured out, something would come up and it would be turned upside-down completely. I was left guessing until the very end.
So, if I had to sum this up in one word, I'd use the word thrilling. It was deliciously intense and basically just marvelous, and I loved every moment of it.
THE ROMANCE
As much as romance happens to be one of my favorite things in the universe (which most of you know by now) one of my favorite things about this book was its lightness on it. I wouldn't go so far as to say there's none, but it isn't the main focus of the novel like about 99% of YA paranormal these days and I loved that. There's chemistry, but there're still so many roadblocks to any chances of that. It's complicated is probably the easiest if most cliché way to phrase this. I like it, and I'm definitely curious to see where it goes.
THE WRITING
I have mixed feelings here. The writing flows easily, and Michael has a distinct voice. It lets a lot of his personality come through, but occasionally it does fall flat. It's a little bit too simplistic, I think, and could use a bit of work as far as that goes. It's not horrible, not even bad, but it's not perfect. Mostly I would say that it needs more specificity to the word choice and more focus on the wording in some areas. But other than that, I really don't have any complaints. It's lovely, and has a very open and readable quality to it.
THE ENDING
Endings are tricky. Plus, I have a tendency to be overly critical about them. Happily, I was extremely satisfied with this ending. It left me wanting to know more, but at the same time it didn't feel like a cheap trick or a ridiculous cliffhanger. Don't get me wrong–there is a cliffhanger–but I thought is was nicely done. There was one point near the end where I think the book could have ended, and most authors probably would have ended it there to drag it out. But I liked that Harken didn't do that. It gave the sense of a complete book with more to come.
WRAPUP
If it isn't obvious to you by this point how much I loved this book, then…well. It should be obvious. It was an incredible story with action and just a touch of romance, and I adored the concept of Guardians. I will definitely be continuing this series. As to would I recommend this? Um, yes! I especially recommend this to all you lovely people whose guilty pleasures include bad action movies. I'm only half kidding. But in all seriousness, I absolutely recommend this. Harken was a gorgeous and modern read.
FINE.
Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!
Want to read
December 9, 2012MY FEELINGS...
Okay, so. Since I heard about the word 'conspiracy theory' in being the theme of Kaleb's upcoming book, I was having thoughts that maybe he was inspired by theories and ideologies of Hollywood in using mind control techniques and celebrities-as-puppets/Illuminati to write this book. As an enthusiastic researcher of this speculative theory for years myself, I am so excited for the book! Plus, if this ideology's fictionalized, it would be more awesome. Authors sometimes need to lend us their minds sometimes.
And after the summary + cover reveal, my certainties raises up in numbers. Look at the two fingers on the eye! You would understand if you know what I'm saying. :)
Anyway, I'm so excited!
Okay, so. Since I heard about the word 'conspiracy theory' in being the theme of Kaleb's upcoming book, I was having thoughts that maybe he was inspired by theories and ideologies of Hollywood in using mind control techniques and celebrities-as-puppets/Illuminati to write this book. As an enthusiastic researcher of this speculative theory for years myself, I am so excited for the book! Plus, if this ideology's fictionalized, it would be more awesome. Authors sometimes need to lend us their minds sometimes.
And after the summary + cover reveal, my certainties raises up in numbers. Look at the two fingers on the eye! You would understand if you know what I'm saying. :)
Anyway, I'm so excited!
November 2, 2013
I can not wait another second for this book. Have been following Kaleb's posts and video's about it while it was still called #SecretKalebBook and now that we know the first chapter and title I can barely contain myself. Lets all hope that for some miracle it's release date is moved ahead.
Want to read
May 22, 2015Not that my name is gonna be in this book and that I totally adore Kaleb Nation or that this book contains awesome cars...
OMGG! literally excited! <3
OMGG! literally excited! <3
February 24, 2013
See more on Kindleandme.com
Wow, what an adventure this book was! It was full of nonstop action, suspense, loss, sorrow, joy, anger, family, cars and maybe a beginning of a romance?
This book will appeal to guys and girls alike. There were really nice cars that guys would be drooling over. As for me, a car is a car. Michael would have my head if he were real. He was really into them. “That was the terrible truth about nice cars: you might pay a fortune, but you still drive the same dirty roads as everyone else. Funny how roads were the great equalizer.”
The story starts off with what appears to be a seemingly normal teenager sneaking off late at night to meet one of his “clients” in the LA area. He takes his client to a remote area. Then we get the idea that he is more than just a normal teenager since he can see a Glimpse in someone’s eyes and can read them, joy, anger, cheating, terror, etc. That is what he does to make money: he reads their eyes through a picture and tells his client if their wife is cheating or something in an emotion. This night everything goes wrong and there was an attempt to murder him. He barely makes it out, but not after his car is destroyed and the killer is killed by Michael. When the police and his mom come, no one believes him, thinking he just was off recklessly driving in the middle of the night and there was no dead body. From that point on, Michael tries to figure things out but he makes many mistakes and is often a little careless.
But, really everyone who reads it is clueless too much of what is going on and things are slowly revealed throughout the book. This was ok with me, because it kept me on my toes.
He also has dreams of a girl and a guy over and over, ending with their deaths. He also starts noticing that his skin around his right finger where his birthmark is starts to swell and come off and is replaced by a ring that was under his skin. I could go into great detail about all these changes that happens to Michael, but it is more exciting (and gross) to read it yourself. Needless to say, these three people end up together fighting for their lives.
The book almost seems like a cross between a conspiracy theory and science fiction. Everything is powered by the “Guardians”. And. They. Hate. Humans.
Callista is the girl in the dreams. She is a fighter and seems to care for Michael. Then the guy from the dreams is Thad. He is Michael’s right hand man. If Michael dies, so will Callista and Thad automatically. This is the third life for them. They can die over and over and come back until they are permanently made human if cut with a certain blade. That is really where Michael is so important. He has hidden the blade in his past life and the other Guardians want it to kill him permanently so they can continue their worldly domination so to speak. Michael just has to find it himself. This is where he has made a stupid mistake and it almost costs him everything.
I love the writing. For me, I love to read and enjoy the book. I am not looking for grammar and all the technical aspects of writing. I just want something that flows, is believable and I got all that in this book. The only thing that bothered me was Michael seemed to accept what he was a little too easily, but that didn’t deter me from loving this book. I started to reread it before I wrote this review and saw things that I overlooked the first time. Dang, if I were Michael, I would have been careless too.
There were questions that still need answering that even Michael doesn’t know and that means I have to wait until the next book comes out. Grrr...
OK, there is so much more. I have left so much out of it, but it is so much better just for you to read it. I was constantly on the edge of my seat worried about what would happen next. It was a book that shows just how much our parents really know about what we do then we realize; that teenagers make mistakes but can rectify them; how much family means; how important it is to fight evil and have the good win out. It is so much more. OK, so I said that a couple of times. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Wow, what an adventure this book was! It was full of nonstop action, suspense, loss, sorrow, joy, anger, family, cars and maybe a beginning of a romance?
This book will appeal to guys and girls alike. There were really nice cars that guys would be drooling over. As for me, a car is a car. Michael would have my head if he were real. He was really into them. “That was the terrible truth about nice cars: you might pay a fortune, but you still drive the same dirty roads as everyone else. Funny how roads were the great equalizer.”
The story starts off with what appears to be a seemingly normal teenager sneaking off late at night to meet one of his “clients” in the LA area. He takes his client to a remote area. Then we get the idea that he is more than just a normal teenager since he can see a Glimpse in someone’s eyes and can read them, joy, anger, cheating, terror, etc. That is what he does to make money: he reads their eyes through a picture and tells his client if their wife is cheating or something in an emotion. This night everything goes wrong and there was an attempt to murder him. He barely makes it out, but not after his car is destroyed and the killer is killed by Michael. When the police and his mom come, no one believes him, thinking he just was off recklessly driving in the middle of the night and there was no dead body. From that point on, Michael tries to figure things out but he makes many mistakes and is often a little careless.
But, really everyone who reads it is clueless too much of what is going on and things are slowly revealed throughout the book. This was ok with me, because it kept me on my toes.
He also has dreams of a girl and a guy over and over, ending with their deaths. He also starts noticing that his skin around his right finger where his birthmark is starts to swell and come off and is replaced by a ring that was under his skin. I could go into great detail about all these changes that happens to Michael, but it is more exciting (and gross) to read it yourself. Needless to say, these three people end up together fighting for their lives.
The book almost seems like a cross between a conspiracy theory and science fiction. Everything is powered by the “Guardians”. And. They. Hate. Humans.
Callista is the girl in the dreams. She is a fighter and seems to care for Michael. Then the guy from the dreams is Thad. He is Michael’s right hand man. If Michael dies, so will Callista and Thad automatically. This is the third life for them. They can die over and over and come back until they are permanently made human if cut with a certain blade. That is really where Michael is so important. He has hidden the blade in his past life and the other Guardians want it to kill him permanently so they can continue their worldly domination so to speak. Michael just has to find it himself. This is where he has made a stupid mistake and it almost costs him everything.
I love the writing. For me, I love to read and enjoy the book. I am not looking for grammar and all the technical aspects of writing. I just want something that flows, is believable and I got all that in this book. The only thing that bothered me was Michael seemed to accept what he was a little too easily, but that didn’t deter me from loving this book. I started to reread it before I wrote this review and saw things that I overlooked the first time. Dang, if I were Michael, I would have been careless too.
There were questions that still need answering that even Michael doesn’t know and that means I have to wait until the next book comes out. Grrr...
OK, there is so much more. I have left so much out of it, but it is so much better just for you to read it. I was constantly on the edge of my seat worried about what would happen next. It was a book that shows just how much our parents really know about what we do then we realize; that teenagers make mistakes but can rectify them; how much family means; how important it is to fight evil and have the good win out. It is so much more. OK, so I said that a couple of times. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
January 7, 2013
This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't great, either. It bordered on the line of both, teetering more on the side of greatness. The first chapter pulled me in and had me asking questions: who is the narrator, what is he doing, and what on earth is going on? These questions brought me through the next few chapters, which I liked. Then I hit a roadblock and started noticing what I didn't like.
Kaleb pays a lot of attention to detail, describing just about everything, from how this looks to how that character moves. While detail isn't bad, I do think that they're can be too much of it, and I believe Harken suffered from it, as well as Kaleb's writing. It just made me feel like I had to push through page after page, and that slowed down the pace of the book, as well as how I read it. I'd also notice some repeat phrases and words, like several sentences starting with "so." And when a character was described for a paragraph, almost every sentence started "he" or "his." I just would have liked some more variation. It wasn't unreadable, but there was definitely some room for improvement. (A little note: I'm not a big fan of eBooks, so my opinion of the book may be altered just slightly because of the format I read it on. But not by much.)
However, about halfway or so through, things started picking up. I'm not sure what it was--maybe more people besides just Michael, the main character, being in most of the scenes--but I was quickly more interested in the book. The pace picked up, and so did my engrossment. Several questions in the story got answered, and several new characters were introduced. This happened, then that happened, and then there were things happening all over the place. The concept was unique and interesting--and the cover makes sense now! It was similar to a thriller, mixed in with an interesting conspiracy theory, and I liked it.
I also liked all the characters, except for the antagonists. (Nasty, evil creatures!) Michael, the protagonist, is just your average picture-taking, almost-seventeen-year-old--except that he can read people by looking into their eyes, and a bunch of things called Guardians want him dead, and there's something else but I don't want to tell you because then that would ruin the surprise. But I liked Michael--there wasn't really anything to dislike about him; he was a good guy, and a good character. He has two protectors, or Chosens--Thad and Callista. Thad's the tough guy that keeps things together (I really liked him) and Callista is the girl who's built several walls up around her. I know I say this word a lot, but I liked them--they weren't characters that got on my nerves or anything. Bad Guy Numero Uno was Wyck--which I believes rhymes with ick--who is just vial and has no heart and hates humans so, so much. For reasons I will not share, he wants Michael. And there's Anon, who's just as he sounds: anonymous. His goal is to stay hidden and help Michael survive, because Michael is a certain someone meant to save a certain something. (Read the book to find out what those somes are!) Each character had a role in Harken, and they all played it well.
I wish I could say that I was head-over-heels in love with this book, but I just wasn't. The writing and the large section of the book that lost my interest hindered that. However, once I really got into it, it was really good. Sure, it still had its problems, but I just kept reading and reading. The last half of the book was full of twists and turns and tons of action, and it really made the book better, although I'm still left with some questions. Oh, and the ending? *glares at Kaleb Nation* What was that? Seriously? When is book two available? Because I need it. Right now.
This review was originally posted on my blog Beauty and the Bookshelf.
Kaleb pays a lot of attention to detail, describing just about everything, from how this looks to how that character moves. While detail isn't bad, I do think that they're can be too much of it, and I believe Harken suffered from it, as well as Kaleb's writing. It just made me feel like I had to push through page after page, and that slowed down the pace of the book, as well as how I read it. I'd also notice some repeat phrases and words, like several sentences starting with "so." And when a character was described for a paragraph, almost every sentence started "he" or "his." I just would have liked some more variation. It wasn't unreadable, but there was definitely some room for improvement. (A little note: I'm not a big fan of eBooks, so my opinion of the book may be altered just slightly because of the format I read it on. But not by much.)
However, about halfway or so through, things started picking up. I'm not sure what it was--maybe more people besides just Michael, the main character, being in most of the scenes--but I was quickly more interested in the book. The pace picked up, and so did my engrossment. Several questions in the story got answered, and several new characters were introduced. This happened, then that happened, and then there were things happening all over the place. The concept was unique and interesting--and the cover makes sense now! It was similar to a thriller, mixed in with an interesting conspiracy theory, and I liked it.
I also liked all the characters, except for the antagonists. (Nasty, evil creatures!) Michael, the protagonist, is just your average picture-taking, almost-seventeen-year-old--except that he can read people by looking into their eyes, and a bunch of things called Guardians want him dead, and there's something else but I don't want to tell you because then that would ruin the surprise. But I liked Michael--there wasn't really anything to dislike about him; he was a good guy, and a good character. He has two protectors, or Chosens--Thad and Callista. Thad's the tough guy that keeps things together (I really liked him) and Callista is the girl who's built several walls up around her. I know I say this word a lot, but I liked them--they weren't characters that got on my nerves or anything. Bad Guy Numero Uno was Wyck--which I believes rhymes with ick--who is just vial and has no heart and hates humans so, so much. For reasons I will not share, he wants Michael. And there's Anon, who's just as he sounds: anonymous. His goal is to stay hidden and help Michael survive, because Michael is a certain someone meant to save a certain something. (Read the book to find out what those somes are!) Each character had a role in Harken, and they all played it well.
I wish I could say that I was head-over-heels in love with this book, but I just wasn't. The writing and the large section of the book that lost my interest hindered that. However, once I really got into it, it was really good. Sure, it still had its problems, but I just kept reading and reading. The last half of the book was full of twists and turns and tons of action, and it really made the book better, although I'm still left with some questions. Oh, and the ending? *glares at Kaleb Nation* What was that? Seriously? When is book two available? Because I need it. Right now.
This review was originally posted on my blog Beauty and the Bookshelf.
January 8, 2013
For more information about Harken, read my entire review @ foreverabookworm.wordpress.com
Recently I have been feeling like I was in some kind of a reading rut. All the books I read the past few months have been kind of similar- either dystopian, angel-related or just plain old fantasy, all sort of repeating themselves and/or each other. Going into reading Harken, I didn’t have the biggest expectations; I expected it to be good, even great- but not as excellent as it actually ended up being.
Harken is the story of a teenage boy named Michael. He has this super creepy-über awesome ability to look into one’s eyes and be able to tell what they’re feeling, he calls it The Glimpse. Apart from having this unearthly talent, Michael is just a normal kid- that is, until someone tries to kill him.
He discovers that a not-quite-human, supernatural group of people who control everything in our world- the media, the police, the government and even important celebrities, is trying to get rid of him at any cost. Now all he has to do is find out why.
This is the first conspiracy novel I’ve read, and I got to give it up to Kaleb- it. was. awesome. I loved how original and fresh this story was. I loved the fantasy elements thrown into this book, as well as the uniqueness of the supernatural powers the characters got. I really enjoyed Kaleb’s writing- it was very flowing and gripping to the point where it kept me up some nights because I simply couldn’t put the book down.
Not to mention the characters would be a sin. I loved how not-whiny the main character was. I am so used to reading about ones that break down every time a little obstacle comes in their way- not Michael, though. He did have his little moment of insecurity (key word: little), but they weren’t the type where you just want to bang something on the main characters head to make them wake-up, but simply what filled the little spaces between adventure after adventure.
Although I loved Michael- Callista has to be my favorite character in this book. She is just so bad-ass! She is the type of character I would love to play in the movie adaptation this book so very much deserves. She was very put together and kept to herself most of the time, but her presence was always felt, even before we were actually introduced to her in the story. The little touches that Kaleb gave her, like the fact that she was scared of the dark, made her more reliable to the readers, or at least- made me relate to her that much more.
The overall adventure-y vibe this book has did not fail to suck me in and the amazing storyline and writing kept me interested until the very last page. All I have left to say is: bravo, Kaleb, bravo.
The Glossover:
Originality: … ★★★★★
Writing: …….. ★★★★★
Story: ……….. ★★★★★
Cover: ………. ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★
Video review to come (hopefully I’ll get a chance to film it soon!)
Happy Reading!
*review arc has been provided for consideration, all opinions are my own- as always!
Recently I have been feeling like I was in some kind of a reading rut. All the books I read the past few months have been kind of similar- either dystopian, angel-related or just plain old fantasy, all sort of repeating themselves and/or each other. Going into reading Harken, I didn’t have the biggest expectations; I expected it to be good, even great- but not as excellent as it actually ended up being.
Harken is the story of a teenage boy named Michael. He has this super creepy-über awesome ability to look into one’s eyes and be able to tell what they’re feeling, he calls it The Glimpse. Apart from having this unearthly talent, Michael is just a normal kid- that is, until someone tries to kill him.
He discovers that a not-quite-human, supernatural group of people who control everything in our world- the media, the police, the government and even important celebrities, is trying to get rid of him at any cost. Now all he has to do is find out why.
This is the first conspiracy novel I’ve read, and I got to give it up to Kaleb- it. was. awesome. I loved how original and fresh this story was. I loved the fantasy elements thrown into this book, as well as the uniqueness of the supernatural powers the characters got. I really enjoyed Kaleb’s writing- it was very flowing and gripping to the point where it kept me up some nights because I simply couldn’t put the book down.
Not to mention the characters would be a sin. I loved how not-whiny the main character was. I am so used to reading about ones that break down every time a little obstacle comes in their way- not Michael, though. He did have his little moment of insecurity (key word: little), but they weren’t the type where you just want to bang something on the main characters head to make them wake-up, but simply what filled the little spaces between adventure after adventure.
Although I loved Michael- Callista has to be my favorite character in this book. She is just so bad-ass! She is the type of character I would love to play in the movie adaptation this book so very much deserves. She was very put together and kept to herself most of the time, but her presence was always felt, even before we were actually introduced to her in the story. The little touches that Kaleb gave her, like the fact that she was scared of the dark, made her more reliable to the readers, or at least- made me relate to her that much more.
The overall adventure-y vibe this book has did not fail to suck me in and the amazing storyline and writing kept me interested until the very last page. All I have left to say is: bravo, Kaleb, bravo.
The Glossover:
Originality: … ★★★★★
Writing: …….. ★★★★★
Story: ……….. ★★★★★
Cover: ………. ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★
Video review to come (hopefully I’ll get a chance to film it soon!)
Happy Reading!
*review arc has been provided for consideration, all opinions are my own- as always!
January 30, 2013
I love Kaleb Nation. I really do.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book while I was reading it as well. But can't give it 5 stars.
There are several places in the story (most within the first 25% of the book) where the editing didn't catch a miss-type though -they were glaring enough to break into the story & make me stop to figure out what he was trying to say. I found it really affected the way I read and enjoyed the story.
The other issue I had was the extreme amount of detailing everything that went by in the first few chapters. I very nearly put the book away. I love being able to picture things from a book, but no one needs that much detail fed to them. This seemed to taper off as the story got going though, so that helped.
Once you get past those issues, though, Kaleb is a wonderful storyteller. I found myself quite riveted, especially when Wyck was on the scene. What a great and creepy bad guy. This was a wonderful start to a series. I can't wait to see what Kaleb has in store for our heroes in the next installment.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book while I was reading it as well. But can't give it 5 stars.
There are several places in the story (most within the first 25% of the book) where the editing didn't catch a miss-type though -they were glaring enough to break into the story & make me stop to figure out what he was trying to say. I found it really affected the way I read and enjoyed the story.
The other issue I had was the extreme amount of detailing everything that went by in the first few chapters. I very nearly put the book away. I love being able to picture things from a book, but no one needs that much detail fed to them. This seemed to taper off as the story got going though, so that helped.
Once you get past those issues, though, Kaleb is a wonderful storyteller. I found myself quite riveted, especially when Wyck was on the scene. What a great and creepy bad guy. This was a wonderful start to a series. I can't wait to see what Kaleb has in store for our heroes in the next installment.
February 13, 2013
After reading this I feel empty. I feel as though I saw the last of a good friend. Kaleb Nation has gone from the Twilightguy to being an author who I think has achieved everything an author should with his new book. I highly recommend it.
February 2, 2013
This following is an excerpt taken from my full Three-Things Review, which you can find here: http://www.intothehallofbooks.com/201...
Harken by Kaleb Nation is one of the most action-packed, thrilling, edge-of-my-seat stories I've ever read. I couldn't take my eyes off of the pages long enough to do anything. At all. The whole time I was reading. In fact, when this book arrived, I got wide-eyed and squeally, and I acted ridiculous. I tend to be a very melodramatic person by nature, but it was an exaggerated form of melodramatic even for me because I was so excited. Those feelings of excitement and eagerness and OMG!! carried through the story from start to finish. I loved this book.
This story is straight-up a supernatural kind of science-fiction conspiracy theory book. It was kind of hard for me to wrap my head around exactly what that meant before I read it, but as I was reading it made complete sense. These unearthly beings, The Guardians (the bad guys), have a plan. Michael Asher, our main character, is standing in their way. He doesn't realize it. They have to get rid of him. That's it - simple as that. Harken is basically Michael figuring out that The Guardians exist, why they care anything about him, why they want him gone, and what he can do to stop all of the madness that results from these things.
Harken starts with a bang and doesn't let go. The pacing is quick and page-turning, which I loved. The only time there was any kind of slow-down was when there were some of the more-important conversations going on, which was good because I needed those little breaks to 1) absorb the information being discussed by those characters and 2) catch my breath. While the pacing was quick throughout, it wasn't so break-neck rapid that it was too quick or too thrilling and thankfully so, because books like that tend to tear my nerves up. Rather, this one kept me turning the pages consistently to find out what happens next, what happens next, what happens next. Every time I felt like I needed to stop reading for whatever reason, I would find myself saying "Okay, I'll just read another couple of pages and then I'll stop, I really will..." and then BOOM! the book was over!
Michael Asher is a neat guy. He's an interesting character, I think. I found myself flopping between feeling sorry for him and wanting to thump him quite a few times - ultimately, I felt very sympathetic to him. He's a young guy with his entire future ahead of him and then suddenly his life is pulled out from under him and he has no idea why, no choice in it, and no idea where to start looking for the answers to all of his questions. Even though it will devastate them, he makes the decision to leave his family once The Guardians target him, but it is to keep them safe. He is constantly at war with himself over this decision and totally miserable without them. But he is also kind of miserable to be around after he leaves in general, and this is pretty evident in some of his interaction with his new friends Callista and Thad.
Callista and Thad are wonderful supporting characters because they are sympathetic to what Michael is going through - both have faced very similar circumstances. Both have had to leave their families/loved ones behind, both have had no choice in this unusual lot in life, and both have a ton of questions that they are having to seek out answers for. They are basically a band, an unlikely trio, that are bound together because of A THING (that I refuse to spoil for you). However, Callista and Thad are vocal about how Michael's actions and words are affecting them (read: stupid) at times, and I love this about them both. They are honest and forthcoming, and they look out for one another and Michael. Callista and Thad are both great, great characters and I find myself liking them maybe more than I like Michael Asher. (Y'all know I have a soft spot for secondary characters.)
I also want to mention the setting, which is Arleta, California and the area surrounding Los Angeles. This is an actual place that exists and I love that so much. I have never been to California - in fact, I live basically AS FAR as I can possibly live from it and still be in the continental US (hello, very far Eastern NC!). However, the setting of LA is so very well explored in this book that I felt very in tune with it and I actually felt like I could visualize the hills and the streets and the area really well. Los Angeles is a super popular place, as we all know, but I've never read it done as well as it was in this book so GOOD FOR YOU, KALEB NATION. I just love a great setting.
Ultimately, this book was just fun and riveting and a great story. I like how this book started and I like where this series seems to be headed. I've followed this story from the very beginning (#SecretKalebBook) and I'll keep following it until I can get my hands on the next installment. I'm invested in what's going on with Michael Asher and Callista and Thad and the rest of these characters and with the stuff I didn't mention and AAHHH I really just want the next part of the story right now. Now!
I recommend Harken by Kaleb Nation for fans of conspiracy theories, supernatural stories, and page-turning action-driven plots. I have no idea where the story is going next but I have my eyes on the horizon and I'll be watching for it.
Harken by Kaleb Nation is one of the most action-packed, thrilling, edge-of-my-seat stories I've ever read. I couldn't take my eyes off of the pages long enough to do anything. At all. The whole time I was reading. In fact, when this book arrived, I got wide-eyed and squeally, and I acted ridiculous. I tend to be a very melodramatic person by nature, but it was an exaggerated form of melodramatic even for me because I was so excited. Those feelings of excitement and eagerness and OMG!! carried through the story from start to finish. I loved this book.
This story is straight-up a supernatural kind of science-fiction conspiracy theory book. It was kind of hard for me to wrap my head around exactly what that meant before I read it, but as I was reading it made complete sense. These unearthly beings, The Guardians (the bad guys), have a plan. Michael Asher, our main character, is standing in their way. He doesn't realize it. They have to get rid of him. That's it - simple as that. Harken is basically Michael figuring out that The Guardians exist, why they care anything about him, why they want him gone, and what he can do to stop all of the madness that results from these things.
Harken starts with a bang and doesn't let go. The pacing is quick and page-turning, which I loved. The only time there was any kind of slow-down was when there were some of the more-important conversations going on, which was good because I needed those little breaks to 1) absorb the information being discussed by those characters and 2) catch my breath. While the pacing was quick throughout, it wasn't so break-neck rapid that it was too quick or too thrilling and thankfully so, because books like that tend to tear my nerves up. Rather, this one kept me turning the pages consistently to find out what happens next, what happens next, what happens next. Every time I felt like I needed to stop reading for whatever reason, I would find myself saying "Okay, I'll just read another couple of pages and then I'll stop, I really will..." and then BOOM! the book was over!
Michael Asher is a neat guy. He's an interesting character, I think. I found myself flopping between feeling sorry for him and wanting to thump him quite a few times - ultimately, I felt very sympathetic to him. He's a young guy with his entire future ahead of him and then suddenly his life is pulled out from under him and he has no idea why, no choice in it, and no idea where to start looking for the answers to all of his questions. Even though it will devastate them, he makes the decision to leave his family once The Guardians target him, but it is to keep them safe. He is constantly at war with himself over this decision and totally miserable without them. But he is also kind of miserable to be around after he leaves in general, and this is pretty evident in some of his interaction with his new friends Callista and Thad.
Callista and Thad are wonderful supporting characters because they are sympathetic to what Michael is going through - both have faced very similar circumstances. Both have had to leave their families/loved ones behind, both have had no choice in this unusual lot in life, and both have a ton of questions that they are having to seek out answers for. They are basically a band, an unlikely trio, that are bound together because of A THING (that I refuse to spoil for you). However, Callista and Thad are vocal about how Michael's actions and words are affecting them (read: stupid) at times, and I love this about them both. They are honest and forthcoming, and they look out for one another and Michael. Callista and Thad are both great, great characters and I find myself liking them maybe more than I like Michael Asher. (Y'all know I have a soft spot for secondary characters.)
I also want to mention the setting, which is Arleta, California and the area surrounding Los Angeles. This is an actual place that exists and I love that so much. I have never been to California - in fact, I live basically AS FAR as I can possibly live from it and still be in the continental US (hello, very far Eastern NC!). However, the setting of LA is so very well explored in this book that I felt very in tune with it and I actually felt like I could visualize the hills and the streets and the area really well. Los Angeles is a super popular place, as we all know, but I've never read it done as well as it was in this book so GOOD FOR YOU, KALEB NATION. I just love a great setting.
Ultimately, this book was just fun and riveting and a great story. I like how this book started and I like where this series seems to be headed. I've followed this story from the very beginning (#SecretKalebBook) and I'll keep following it until I can get my hands on the next installment. I'm invested in what's going on with Michael Asher and Callista and Thad and the rest of these characters and with the stuff I didn't mention and AAHHH I really just want the next part of the story right now. Now!
I recommend Harken by Kaleb Nation for fans of conspiracy theories, supernatural stories, and page-turning action-driven plots. I have no idea where the story is going next but I have my eyes on the horizon and I'll be watching for it.
February 7, 2018
tuvo un muy buen inicio pero luego entro en una montaña rusa captando tu atencion en algunos puntos y perdiendola por completo en otros, no logré esta conexion con el prota, me pareció un poco irreflexivo y cabezota, y que su gran triunfo fue algo demasiado al azar, jamás entendí cual fue su plan al final, y entre una cosa y otra han quedado muchas dudas por resolver, esperar al segundo a ver si nos saca pronto de la miseria.
September 20, 2015
I really have mixed feelings about Harken; in many ways it reminds me of Christopher Paolini and the Inheritance Cycle, for reasons that have nothing to do with specific plot. On one hand, it's a good story written by a talented young man. On the other, bits of the story feel cliche, predictable, and too wordy overall.
Descriptions and inner monologues are great, but they shouldn't slow the story down. At one point, Nation launches into a large explanatory paragraph detailing the scene at hand, only to end it by saying "all of this faded to the background," leaving me to throw my hands up because I was reading things that, essentially, weren't important. Likewise, I don't need entire church proceedings explained to me like they are a novelty unlike that which the world has never seen. Skip the description and get to the plot.
As far as protagonists go, Michael Asher isn't that bad. I was actually really impressed by him at first, because, when faced with an assassination attempt, he actually does the sensible thing and calls the police, which is almost unheard of in non-realistic fiction. I think to myself, "Wow, this kid's got a good head on his shoulders." But then...I'm not really sure what happened. I just don't get a sense for his personality. He's known for getting Glipses, but the importance of this skill wanes as the story progresses. He's a photographer, but doesn't take many pictures. He's overwhelmed by his predicament, but that isn't a personality trait. What is he like? Who is he, really? I have so much trouble pinning him down, which makes him hard to identify with. I think that Nation partially wanted to be realistic with the story, which resulted in a lot of internal anxiety, over-thinking, and confusion, but those types of reactions to every situation gets old pretty fast.
Moving on to secondary characters...everyone just felt so static to me. Callista seems like a rip-off of Alaska Young from Looking for Alaska, or that cool-and-edgy-but-also-deeply-emotional character that you can't take your eyes off of because she's just so incredible, but I don't believe it in this case. She yells a lot and overreacts quickly, and while that's consistent (yay consistency!) it makes it hard for me to sympathize with her. I appreciate Thad as the trio's "rock" and if I'd have to chose a favorite character, it'd be him because he didn't get on my nerves too much. Don't even get me started on Spud, our token sidekick-minority-techie cliche. I felt like everyone (including Michael) was created in an attempt to make them likable, and it felt as though they were acting the way they were supposed to react, and not because it was the natural thing for them to do.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about Harken rubbed me the wrong way. I felt at many points like Nation was underestimating his readers; this book is targeted towards young adults, so we can grasp what's what in a story pretty quickly. Not everything needs to be tied up and explained perfectly with a neat bow on top. The fact of the matter is that I was (more or less) interested in the book while I was reading it, but every time I put it down, there wasn't a very big rush to pick it back up again. According to Goodreads, 2 stars is the equivalent of "it's okay" and that's what Harken was; just okay.
Descriptions and inner monologues are great, but they shouldn't slow the story down. At one point, Nation launches into a large explanatory paragraph detailing the scene at hand, only to end it by saying "all of this faded to the background," leaving me to throw my hands up because I was reading things that, essentially, weren't important. Likewise, I don't need entire church proceedings explained to me like they are a novelty unlike that which the world has never seen. Skip the description and get to the plot.
As far as protagonists go, Michael Asher isn't that bad. I was actually really impressed by him at first, because, when faced with an assassination attempt, he actually does the sensible thing and calls the police, which is almost unheard of in non-realistic fiction. I think to myself, "Wow, this kid's got a good head on his shoulders." But then...I'm not really sure what happened. I just don't get a sense for his personality. He's known for getting Glipses, but the importance of this skill wanes as the story progresses. He's a photographer, but doesn't take many pictures. He's overwhelmed by his predicament, but that isn't a personality trait. What is he like? Who is he, really? I have so much trouble pinning him down, which makes him hard to identify with. I think that Nation partially wanted to be realistic with the story, which resulted in a lot of internal anxiety, over-thinking, and confusion, but those types of reactions to every situation gets old pretty fast.
Moving on to secondary characters...everyone just felt so static to me. Callista seems like a rip-off of Alaska Young from Looking for Alaska, or that cool-and-edgy-but-also-deeply-emotional character that you can't take your eyes off of because she's just so incredible, but I don't believe it in this case. She yells a lot and overreacts quickly, and while that's consistent (yay consistency!) it makes it hard for me to sympathize with her. I appreciate Thad as the trio's "rock" and if I'd have to chose a favorite character, it'd be him because he didn't get on my nerves too much. Don't even get me started on Spud, our token sidekick-minority-techie cliche. I felt like everyone (including Michael) was created in an attempt to make them likable, and it felt as though they were acting the way they were supposed to react, and not because it was the natural thing for them to do.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about Harken rubbed me the wrong way. I felt at many points like Nation was underestimating his readers; this book is targeted towards young adults, so we can grasp what's what in a story pretty quickly. Not everything needs to be tied up and explained perfectly with a neat bow on top. The fact of the matter is that I was (more or less) interested in the book while I was reading it, but every time I put it down, there wasn't a very big rush to pick it back up again. According to Goodreads, 2 stars is the equivalent of "it's okay" and that's what Harken was; just okay.
February 19, 2013
I saw a lot about this book online before it's release, hints, trails, youtube videos, sneak peaks - it was all very intriguing. I signed up to the newsletter and read the news about it but didn't really get too involved. The release came and sort of passed me by. Then my favourite youtube reviewer 'CassJayTuck' did a review of it and she was raving about it.
I tend to have similar tastes to her and after seeing her excitement I knew I wanted to try and get a copy. Well something in the universe was obviously listening to me because a couple of days later I got an email from Kaleb saying that because I had signed up to the newsletters and registered my blog with his promotion list would I like to review the book for him - Bonus! I of courrse said yes and downloaded it as soon as I could.
I started it yesterday I think and was immediately hooked, the story doesn't hang about you start reading and then BAM! You are pulled into the world with no chance of escape. I read at least half of it in one go and then when I had to put it down I found myself thinking about it. I finished it in my lunch break at work today and didn't want it to end.
Meet Michael Asher, our protagonist. Michael has a special gift he calls the 'Glimpse' he can see the 'truth' in people's eyesights, but when he is almost killed in an assassination attempt he discovers a world much deeper and realises he is right in the centre of it.
Meet Thad and Callista, his two companions. They've been through a lot and know it's not going to be over soon.
Running from enemies they don't really know and helped by an anonymous stranger they get pulled deeper and deeper into the paranormal world, where nothing is as it seemed.
This book really is heart racing exciting and totally gripping. I hadn't actually ever heard of Kaleb before this book but I will definitely be looking him up for more of his work. Brilliant.
The plot was well structured and really lead you through the story, nothing felt like it had been put in for the sake of it, each paragraph, sentence, word had a meaning and a purpose. And it was structured in a way that kept you glued to the page, interested and allowed you to get into the world and in with the characters, they became real on the page. I could totally picture them and the places too. I really was pulled into the world.
I can now totally understand the hype that has been surrounding this book, it so deserves it.
If you haven't already I strongly recommend you check this book out.
I tend to have similar tastes to her and after seeing her excitement I knew I wanted to try and get a copy. Well something in the universe was obviously listening to me because a couple of days later I got an email from Kaleb saying that because I had signed up to the newsletters and registered my blog with his promotion list would I like to review the book for him - Bonus! I of courrse said yes and downloaded it as soon as I could.
I started it yesterday I think and was immediately hooked, the story doesn't hang about you start reading and then BAM! You are pulled into the world with no chance of escape. I read at least half of it in one go and then when I had to put it down I found myself thinking about it. I finished it in my lunch break at work today and didn't want it to end.
Meet Michael Asher, our protagonist. Michael has a special gift he calls the 'Glimpse' he can see the 'truth' in people's eyesights, but when he is almost killed in an assassination attempt he discovers a world much deeper and realises he is right in the centre of it.
Meet Thad and Callista, his two companions. They've been through a lot and know it's not going to be over soon.
Running from enemies they don't really know and helped by an anonymous stranger they get pulled deeper and deeper into the paranormal world, where nothing is as it seemed.
This book really is heart racing exciting and totally gripping. I hadn't actually ever heard of Kaleb before this book but I will definitely be looking him up for more of his work. Brilliant.
The plot was well structured and really lead you through the story, nothing felt like it had been put in for the sake of it, each paragraph, sentence, word had a meaning and a purpose. And it was structured in a way that kept you glued to the page, interested and allowed you to get into the world and in with the characters, they became real on the page. I could totally picture them and the places too. I really was pulled into the world.
I can now totally understand the hype that has been surrounding this book, it so deserves it.
If you haven't already I strongly recommend you check this book out.
December 31, 2014
There was an insane amount of hype surrounding this book, which made me incredibly nervous. I mean, not nervous enough that I didn't buy it at midnight along with the rest of Kaleb's army of devoted fans, but still a little bit unsure about whether or not I would like it.
Luckily, I discovered early on that yes, the hype was totally justified. Harken is filled with awesome. The plot is intense and action-packed, and it had me constantly flipping the pages (er, pressing the button on my kindle) to find out what would happen next. The conspiracy elements and the supernatural elements combined a lot better than I expected them to, and the whole story was so complex. I was so impressed by how perfectly all the different pieces of the story fit together.
The main character, Michael, is someone that you can't help but root for. He makes a lot of mistakes, and there were several times that I just wanted to shake him and make him stop doing stupid things, but that just made him feel more realistic. No matter what he did, I just wanted him to win. I wanted him to outsmart the bad guys, and I was cheering him along the whole time I was reading. Thad and Callista are awesome companions, and the trio deserves a place right up there with other famous book trios like Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Harken reminded me a bit of all the things I love about the Maximum Ride series--kids with supernatural abilities on the run from the bad guys--which was a pleasant surprise. The stakes were high throughout the entire book, and Michael was constantly on the move. There were no dull moments to sit and ponder about why all this weird stuff was happening to him. He just had to keep going, keep running from the people who were chasing him.
This book makes me really paranoid that maybe the world is secretly being run by people more powerful than we can ever imagine. This supernatural conspiracy was written in such a way that it is not hard to believe at all, which is both awesome and terrifying.
I predict that Harken is going to be A Huge Freaking Deal in the next few weeks/months/years. I'm talking a fandom with a movie adaptation and everything. I'm so excited to see how far this little book will go, and I especially cannot wait to read the sequel!
More of my rambling can be found at readwriteramble.blogspot.com
Luckily, I discovered early on that yes, the hype was totally justified. Harken is filled with awesome. The plot is intense and action-packed, and it had me constantly flipping the pages (er, pressing the button on my kindle) to find out what would happen next. The conspiracy elements and the supernatural elements combined a lot better than I expected them to, and the whole story was so complex. I was so impressed by how perfectly all the different pieces of the story fit together.
The main character, Michael, is someone that you can't help but root for. He makes a lot of mistakes, and there were several times that I just wanted to shake him and make him stop doing stupid things, but that just made him feel more realistic. No matter what he did, I just wanted him to win. I wanted him to outsmart the bad guys, and I was cheering him along the whole time I was reading. Thad and Callista are awesome companions, and the trio deserves a place right up there with other famous book trios like Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Harken reminded me a bit of all the things I love about the Maximum Ride series--kids with supernatural abilities on the run from the bad guys--which was a pleasant surprise. The stakes were high throughout the entire book, and Michael was constantly on the move. There were no dull moments to sit and ponder about why all this weird stuff was happening to him. He just had to keep going, keep running from the people who were chasing him.
This book makes me really paranoid that maybe the world is secretly being run by people more powerful than we can ever imagine. This supernatural conspiracy was written in such a way that it is not hard to believe at all, which is both awesome and terrifying.
I predict that Harken is going to be A Huge Freaking Deal in the next few weeks/months/years. I'm talking a fandom with a movie adaptation and everything. I'm so excited to see how far this little book will go, and I especially cannot wait to read the sequel!
More of my rambling can be found at readwriteramble.blogspot.com
March 9, 2013
I've been following the news of Harken back since it was still '#SecretKalebBook," so it's safe to say that I have been waiting a very, very long time to read this, not only because my name and my best friend's name got in the acknowledgements (uh, how cool is that?) but also because of how interesting it sounded. It was the intrigue and mystery surrounding the whole story that really made me want to read it. However, I was a little bit unhappy that it wasn't coming out as a physical copy just yet. Having prefer actual books I can hold to books on kindle, computer, etc., I decided to hold off for as long as possible on buying it. I got my first tablet the other day, and immediately decided it was time. I downloaded the Kindle app for it, bought Harken, and started reading it the minute I got home.
Michael Asher is a very likeable main character, which isn't to say he's the best, but compared to a lot of main characters in books, he didn't constantly make me want to bash my face in a wall. Well, not often. His sister Alli is hands down one of my favourite fictional characters, I adore her.
The story itself was very impressive. It wasn't one of those cliche, totally know what's going to happen next type deals. The plot didn't seem forced, and I was genuinely surprised how things kept turning out. Also, can I just add, to those who have read it: the skin peeling part? I cringed. Literally CRINGED. I have never had a book make me do that, and I am very not easily creeped out. One minute I'm laughing at Alli, the next my eyes are glued to the screen in suspense, and then before I know it, Thad is introduced and I'm laughing again. I find books are more enjoyable with the right amount of humor to even out all the serious. Harken had that right amount of everything.
Now, I've never been good at summarizing things for people. I nearly want to tear out my hair in frustration when people ask me, "what's that book/movie/show about?" and very rarely can I describe something eloquently enough, so I'll just say it's a very well written, interesting piece of writing and leave it at that. This book is better with the mystery, anyway.
February 24, 2013
Michael is the “Eye Guy.” He can read people by their eyes. Michael is a loner at school except for one best friend, Spud. Spud is a master at hacking computers. Everyone else pretty much stays away from him because of his special ability. He has made a business for himself, hiring out his services to find out if his clients have cheating spouses, bad business partners, etc.
Michael sneaks out one night to meet a client, Mr. Sharpe. However, this meeting turns into a nightmare when Mr. Sharpe attacks Michael and tries to kill him. Michael barely escapes with his life, his car totaled, and no one believes that someone tried to murder him. The police think he’s just making up an excuse for wrecking his car. His mother thinks he hit his head in the accident and confused. This makes Michael doubt himself for a few moments, until he realizes that Mr. Sharpe’s car would still be where the met, since he saw Mr. Sharpe dead underneath the car.
After I have set up the beginning of the story, this is where I end it. There’s just too much action without giving up any spoilers for me to write!
Harken…supernatural…conspiracy theories…who would have thought the two combined would make an amazing story. When I start reading a story, I have scenarios going thru my head on what direction the plot might take. With Harken, I had no clue what that direction was. Michael proves to be a resourceful and strong character. He has learned to put his ability to his advantage. Callista and Thad are with Michael through the whole adventure. Their bond goes deeper than just mere friendship. The villains are ruthless, dangerous and completely heartless. Harken pulls on your emotions…sadness, humor, anger, anxiety, suspicion, fear..There is so much going on your brain synopsis is in overdrive. There’s a hint of romance, which is just perfect because that doesn’t take away from the true plot, the supernatural conspiracy. Harken is brilliant in the total uniqueness of it’s originality. The end, of course, is a killer cliffhanger. I wasn’t ready for it to end. There’s so much left unexplained, I look forward to have those questions answered.
Michael sneaks out one night to meet a client, Mr. Sharpe. However, this meeting turns into a nightmare when Mr. Sharpe attacks Michael and tries to kill him. Michael barely escapes with his life, his car totaled, and no one believes that someone tried to murder him. The police think he’s just making up an excuse for wrecking his car. His mother thinks he hit his head in the accident and confused. This makes Michael doubt himself for a few moments, until he realizes that Mr. Sharpe’s car would still be where the met, since he saw Mr. Sharpe dead underneath the car.
After I have set up the beginning of the story, this is where I end it. There’s just too much action without giving up any spoilers for me to write!
Harken…supernatural…conspiracy theories…who would have thought the two combined would make an amazing story. When I start reading a story, I have scenarios going thru my head on what direction the plot might take. With Harken, I had no clue what that direction was. Michael proves to be a resourceful and strong character. He has learned to put his ability to his advantage. Callista and Thad are with Michael through the whole adventure. Their bond goes deeper than just mere friendship. The villains are ruthless, dangerous and completely heartless. Harken pulls on your emotions…sadness, humor, anger, anxiety, suspicion, fear..There is so much going on your brain synopsis is in overdrive. There’s a hint of romance, which is just perfect because that doesn’t take away from the true plot, the supernatural conspiracy. Harken is brilliant in the total uniqueness of it’s originality. The end, of course, is a killer cliffhanger. I wasn’t ready for it to end. There’s so much left unexplained, I look forward to have those questions answered.
August 30, 2014
A Glimpse of a great series
Feels like it's been forever since this book was recommended to me and remained on my reading list. Now I finally decided to start reading it and I was not disappointed! Here's why:
THE PLOT
Michael Asher has a mysterious ability. He can read people's emotions through their eyes when they offer him a Glimpse. A solid source of income. One day however he meets a freak of a customer with long, silver Claws who is obviously after him. Michael manage to survive the encounter, confused and traumatized. Not long after that he discovers that his body is going through weird changes. A birthmark that metamorphoses into a silver ring, let alone Claws of his own. It all boils down to a conspirational blog who's main source are letter by someone named ANON. The only person with answers.
THE CHARACTERS
Michael Asher
Michael starts out as a stereotype of a character. Highschool weirdo who is known for his crazy ability of reading emotions in eyes.
His status however is the exact opposite of his personality. Michael is feisty, smart and healthy suspicious teen. He's not a superhero at all time, human after all and incredibly loyal to his family and friends. The kind of guy you trust with saving the world.
Thad & Callista
Thad and Callista went through the same changes as Michael since they were assigned to protect him from the evil that wants to harm him.
While Callista is fiery and thickheaded, Thad is the anchor of the group, keeping them together with his calm and focussed personality. Together the trio reminds me a lot of Harry, Ron and Hermione in a very positive way.
Harken is obviously an establisher of a series. It introduces and builds a human world with a supernatural component, an ancient war between good and evil and ends in a last minute rescue. It does however not sell short on suspense, mystery and excitement for the next installment!
Feels like it's been forever since this book was recommended to me and remained on my reading list. Now I finally decided to start reading it and I was not disappointed! Here's why:
THE PLOT
Michael Asher has a mysterious ability. He can read people's emotions through their eyes when they offer him a Glimpse. A solid source of income. One day however he meets a freak of a customer with long, silver Claws who is obviously after him. Michael manage to survive the encounter, confused and traumatized. Not long after that he discovers that his body is going through weird changes. A birthmark that metamorphoses into a silver ring, let alone Claws of his own. It all boils down to a conspirational blog who's main source are letter by someone named ANON. The only person with answers.
THE CHARACTERS
Michael Asher
Michael starts out as a stereotype of a character. Highschool weirdo who is known for his crazy ability of reading emotions in eyes.
His status however is the exact opposite of his personality. Michael is feisty, smart and healthy suspicious teen. He's not a superhero at all time, human after all and incredibly loyal to his family and friends. The kind of guy you trust with saving the world.
Thad & Callista
Thad and Callista went through the same changes as Michael since they were assigned to protect him from the evil that wants to harm him.
While Callista is fiery and thickheaded, Thad is the anchor of the group, keeping them together with his calm and focussed personality. Together the trio reminds me a lot of Harry, Ron and Hermione in a very positive way.
Harken is obviously an establisher of a series. It introduces and builds a human world with a supernatural component, an ancient war between good and evil and ends in a last minute rescue. It does however not sell short on suspense, mystery and excitement for the next installment!
February 12, 2013
Kaleb Nation is an amazing person. A great speaker, Youtuber, really funny guy, and a fantastic marketer. However, he really isn't a great writer. His book has gotten so much hype, and being a Nationeer, I read it when it first came out. The books concept was fantastic and it definitely had some good spots. So I'll start with the pro's
(1) Great concept. The plot and premise for the book is awesome. I love science fiction and conspiracy theories, making this story sound amazing.
(2) I loved Alli! She was a major highlight of this book. She is the sort of person I would totally hang out with.
(3) I loved Spud! However, my love for him is also a con(see cons below)
(4) Kaleb Nation. He's fantastic. No seriously, one major thing I liked in the book was that I knew Kaleb wrote it.
Now for the cons.
(1) Writing style. His writing style is awful, in my opinion. He's seems like he's always striving to impress with long sentences and weird verbiage. It wouldn't be an issue if this wasn't 1st person POV from a teen boy. It made the story seem fake.
(2) Plot. The plot wasn't as great as I foreshadowed. It seems plot driven, yet the sequence and definite plot points seem to blur in my head. Not to mention how predictable it was(please tell me it's not just me!)
3. Romance. Kaleb Nation said there was going to be romance and I was psyched. Until I read the book. The romance wasn't written well, and I felt no want for Micheal and Callista to get together. It was just there and I didn't care if they broke up or didn't.
4. Spud, Alli, and even Thad. They were not in the book nearly enough!
5. Death. Or lack of. There was only one major death and I felt no sadness from it.
6. The whole book just seemed amateur.
Overall, this book was definitely a miss. Two stars because, hey, it's Kaleb Nation
(1) Great concept. The plot and premise for the book is awesome. I love science fiction and conspiracy theories, making this story sound amazing.
(2) I loved Alli! She was a major highlight of this book. She is the sort of person I would totally hang out with.
(3) I loved Spud! However, my love for him is also a con(see cons below)
(4) Kaleb Nation. He's fantastic. No seriously, one major thing I liked in the book was that I knew Kaleb wrote it.
Now for the cons.
(1) Writing style. His writing style is awful, in my opinion. He's seems like he's always striving to impress with long sentences and weird verbiage. It wouldn't be an issue if this wasn't 1st person POV from a teen boy. It made the story seem fake.
(2) Plot. The plot wasn't as great as I foreshadowed. It seems plot driven, yet the sequence and definite plot points seem to blur in my head. Not to mention how predictable it was(please tell me it's not just me!)
3. Romance. Kaleb Nation said there was going to be romance and I was psyched. Until I read the book. The romance wasn't written well, and I felt no want for Micheal and Callista to get together. It was just there and I didn't care if they broke up or didn't.
4. Spud, Alli, and even Thad. They were not in the book nearly enough!
5. Death. Or lack of. There was only one major death and I felt no sadness from it.
6. The whole book just seemed amateur.
Overall, this book was definitely a miss. Two stars because, hey, it's Kaleb Nation
January 19, 2013
I was super excited for Harken to be released, and it was worth it! Michael was an excellent character. My only big flaw with him is his attitude. He made statements like, "I'm never wrong" and similar ones too. That's all well and good, but it made him sound full of himself. If he said, "I haven't been wrong yet" or something similar, then I would have liked him more. He wasn't my favorite character, but I liked him well enough. I have a three-way tie for my favorite. Alli, Thad, and Callista. Their attitudes were superb. I smiled every time I saw them on the page. Of course, since I have three favorites, I'm expecting there to be a lot of hurt in the next book. Authors are mean like that. *glares at Kaleb*
The story was great! I was nervous/excited to see how Kaleb does in the YA genre, and I think he did a great job. The beginning of the story moved along very quickly which I loved. The fact that Michael's birthday was a big deal and only in a matter of days made the beginning of the story move fast. *I don't think this is a spoiler* That being said, it did seem like everyone was making a big deal out of Michael's birthday. When it actually happened, it seemed to be more of an afterthought. I was expecting something more dramatic to happen. I don't know how I feel about the priest swearing either. Don't get me wrong, Harken isn't laden with swear words, and what is in the book is done well. I've seen religious people swear, but I've never seen a priest/pastor do it though. That's the only thing that felt off to me while I read Harken. I think that's the only criticism I have of Harken. I absolutely recommend this book!
The story was great! I was nervous/excited to see how Kaleb does in the YA genre, and I think he did a great job. The beginning of the story moved along very quickly which I loved. The fact that Michael's birthday was a big deal and only in a matter of days made the beginning of the story move fast. *I don't think this is a spoiler* That being said, it did seem like everyone was making a big deal out of Michael's birthday. When it actually happened, it seemed to be more of an afterthought. I was expecting something more dramatic to happen. I don't know how I feel about the priest swearing either. Don't get me wrong, Harken isn't laden with swear words, and what is in the book is done well. I've seen religious people swear, but I've never seen a priest/pastor do it though. That's the only thing that felt off to me while I read Harken. I think that's the only criticism I have of Harken. I absolutely recommend this book!
January 22, 2013
I think the premise of the story is interesting and a refreshing change from the latest YA book trend of dystopian and paranormal. However, the execution is somewhat lacking.
Character wise, my favorites are Alli and Thad. I really love Alli's spunk, intelligence, and loyalty. At times, she seems more insightful than her older brother. I often wish she was the main protagonist of the book. I hope we see her character more in the sequels. As for Thad, I love his maturity and calm demeanor. His background story is so heartbreaking, and yet he remains steadfast and focused with their mission.
I really didn't warm up to Michael Asher, the main character. He struck me as self-centered from the get go, and didn't really redeem himself until the end. He supposedly have the Glimpse, and yet made some questionable decisions at the expense of others. The way his character is written is a conundrum, and not in a good way.
Callista was just okay, but as the female main character and the love interest, I was expecting more. Also, the the romance between Callista and Michael seems forced. I can see where the build up is supposed to be happening, but it all seem to fall flat.
On the plus side, the action sequences were gripping, there were enough twists to keep me on my toes, and the overall pacing of the story was appropriate. Unfortunately, the positive aspects were interspersed among overly descriptive narratives.
Despite the negatives, I still like this book. It was engaging enough to keep me going till the very end. If you like an easy read about conspiracy theories and want a change from dystopian and paranormal, then I recommend that you give this a go.
Character wise, my favorites are Alli and Thad. I really love Alli's spunk, intelligence, and loyalty. At times, she seems more insightful than her older brother. I often wish she was the main protagonist of the book. I hope we see her character more in the sequels. As for Thad, I love his maturity and calm demeanor. His background story is so heartbreaking, and yet he remains steadfast and focused with their mission.
I really didn't warm up to Michael Asher, the main character. He struck me as self-centered from the get go, and didn't really redeem himself until the end. He supposedly have the Glimpse, and yet made some questionable decisions at the expense of others. The way his character is written is a conundrum, and not in a good way.
Callista was just okay, but as the female main character and the love interest, I was expecting more. Also, the the romance between Callista and Michael seems forced. I can see where the build up is supposed to be happening, but it all seem to fall flat.
On the plus side, the action sequences were gripping, there were enough twists to keep me on my toes, and the overall pacing of the story was appropriate. Unfortunately, the positive aspects were interspersed among overly descriptive narratives.
Despite the negatives, I still like this book. It was engaging enough to keep me going till the very end. If you like an easy read about conspiracy theories and want a change from dystopian and paranormal, then I recommend that you give this a go.
June 20, 2013
Harken was like X-men meets National Treasure. Very creative. I liked the suspenseful plot with a supernatural twist. The writing had a nice voice to it. It was funny and witty. I really enjoyed the quest that Michael goes on for the truth. The way Michael had to figure out and follow obscure clues all over the place is what reminded me of National Treasure and I thought it was a lot of fun. And the conflict was great. The author was not afraid to suggest the worst that could happen…and then make it happen. I liked how the conspiracy theory was unique and kind of epic.
I thought all the characters had great, fleshed-out personalities but my favorite was Michael’s little sister Alli. Oh Alli, you are the cutest fake princess-eating zombie ever. Michael has a great relationship with her that was adorable to read.
My only complaint about this book was that I felt like I was walking knee-deep through a lot of details and words that didn’t need to be there. For as much action and plot as this book had in it, I was surprised at how I felt bogged down while I was reading it sometimes. It got to the point that I dreaded going into a new room because that is when the author tended to info-dump the most. Does it really matter how many skylights there are in the big airplane hanger with 5 silver cars?
Overall, I thought it had a really creative plot and wonderful characters, but it got slowed down by being over-detailed sometimes.
This book is also reviewed on my blog Books: A true story
I thought all the characters had great, fleshed-out personalities but my favorite was Michael’s little sister Alli. Oh Alli, you are the cutest fake princess-eating zombie ever. Michael has a great relationship with her that was adorable to read.
My only complaint about this book was that I felt like I was walking knee-deep through a lot of details and words that didn’t need to be there. For as much action and plot as this book had in it, I was surprised at how I felt bogged down while I was reading it sometimes. It got to the point that I dreaded going into a new room because that is when the author tended to info-dump the most. Does it really matter how many skylights there are in the big airplane hanger with 5 silver cars?
Overall, I thought it had a really creative plot and wonderful characters, but it got slowed down by being over-detailed sometimes.
This book is also reviewed on my blog Books: A true story
February 21, 2013
There was a lot of action, but it somehow wasn't convincing. I didn't feel like the characters had to try really hard to get anywhere. The Guardians made a lot of mistakes, and so did the good guys. I like really competent characters better.
There were some grammar issues ("turned toward her and I" or "left him and I" bugged me in particular).
I was disappointed that this was only book one. The conflict didn't feel big enough or complex enough for a second book. I wanted it to be over. I didn't find their friendship to be engaging. Michael and Callista get together? Really? Why? What did they see in each other? It doesn't make sense to have characters kiss after knowing each other for three days!
And I don't know why everyone kept helping Michael and rooting for him. He was selfish and incompetent. He cannot come up with decent plans (why oh why don't they reveal themselves to a bunch of humans and expose the guardians for what they really are??). And he seemed to care more that his pictures had burned than that his mom was dead.
So, what was good? The "past lives" thing was interesting. There was a sort of mystery, too, about where the blade was hidden. It could have been done better, but the idea was all right.
There were some grammar issues ("turned toward her and I" or "left him and I" bugged me in particular).
I was disappointed that this was only book one. The conflict didn't feel big enough or complex enough for a second book. I wanted it to be over. I didn't find their friendship to be engaging. Michael and Callista get together? Really? Why? What did they see in each other? It doesn't make sense to have characters kiss after knowing each other for three days!
And I don't know why everyone kept helping Michael and rooting for him. He was selfish and incompetent. He cannot come up with decent plans (why oh why don't they reveal themselves to a bunch of humans and expose the guardians for what they really are??). And he seemed to care more that his pictures had burned than that his mom was dead.
So, what was good? The "past lives" thing was interesting. There was a sort of mystery, too, about where the blade was hidden. It could have been done better, but the idea was all right.
January 15, 2013
Michael Asher could quite possibly be the most - if not THE most - idiotic hero I’ve ever come to read.
November 21, 2016
OMG, this book is AMAZING! I loved all the main characters, and even the side characters. (but not the baddies of course, though their construction is awesome). Michael, Callista, Thad, Alli, Spud, etc. Just amazing characters! And the plot, do I even have to mention how cool it is? Conspiracy theories is an awesome subject. Now I'm even more paranoid than I was before :D I could see some of the things coming, but it didn't bother my reading.
But seriously, read it, you won't regret it. Now I have to wait for the sequel... #SecretKalebSequel? I think I'll re-read the book sometime this year. Maybe several times. CAUSE IT'S AWESOME
But seriously, read it, you won't regret it. Now I have to wait for the sequel... #SecretKalebSequel? I think I'll re-read the book sometime this year. Maybe several times. CAUSE IT'S AWESOME
August 10, 2013
I don't quite remember which chapter it was, but I do remember looking at the clock, realizing it was late, recognizing I had early meetings the next day, but I could not put Harken down. I love that about books.
I think Kaleb did a great job with building tension and developing his characters, the good as well as the twisted. The plotting did stretch belief at times. I wish we learned more about the powers of the Guardians and how they came to be or work but I'm curious to read on to see if it will be explained later.
While some of Michael's decisions made me shake my head, I felt they were appropriate for the characters age and experience.
I'm ready for book 2, Kaleb. Keep writing
I think Kaleb did a great job with building tension and developing his characters, the good as well as the twisted. The plotting did stretch belief at times. I wish we learned more about the powers of the Guardians and how they came to be or work but I'm curious to read on to see if it will be explained later.
While some of Michael's decisions made me shake my head, I felt they were appropriate for the characters age and experience.
I'm ready for book 2, Kaleb. Keep writing
August 6, 2016
This is one of those books that you simply cannot put down. The action draws you in from the very first chapter. I loved all the main characters, especially Michael. Although I went back and forth between loving him one second and then hating him the next! At times I even found myself talking out loud to him (lol) which can only be a good thing because that's how engaged you become with these characters. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. I need the sequel NOW! This book is definitely a new favorite, a very entertaining read. Highly recommended it.
February 28, 2013
Kaleb is a fantastic story teller and has crafted an engaging supernatural tale of conspiracy and adventure, but the bottom line is that Harken is missing the elements of a novel that make it truly good. While the story was fun, interesting, and creative, I just could not ignore the overt lack of editing, illogical and unnecessary metaphors and other figurative language, and often awkward phrasing. I don't regret reading or buying Harken, I loved the idea of the story, I just wish it was better executed.
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